At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are reasons that I don’t let my disease win.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.

When a loved one is incarcerated, it affects not only them, but those are part of their life as well. I found this out the hard way in January 2021, when my fiance at the time, and now my wife, was arrested for a DUI. A full time student, and still currently serving in the Navy reserves, I had a lot on my plate as it was. I had my own priorities, but now the person I was to share a life with needed my help. She was active duty, and her career was on the line. My support system during my journey for well-being, my rock, my best friend was now behind bars. I had to put my priorities to the side to be there for her. I got a call in January while working at my helicopter squadron, HSC 85. My fiance was arrested for a DUI. Oddly enough, she was supposed to be on her ship the USS Carl Vinson. They had pulled in long enough to get the crew vaccinated, and she was aloud off the ship to go to a clinic and get blood drawn. But she made a detour. She was arrested, put in jail, and was going to miss her ship pulling back out for their scheduled training. Missing ships movement is automatic UCMJ. Now, my wife is not a bad person. She long ago admitted to being powerless over alcohol. She was proactive and asked for her chain of command to send her to treatment, but they failed her by losing her paperwork. If someone asks for help, but the people who were supposed to help them push them to the side for over a year, and the person who needed help gets in trouble, who is the real culprit? I left my squadron despite my own chain of command telling me to let the situation play out. I got her out of jail and back to her ship an hour before the brow was taken down. After they pulled out, she started having seizures from alcohol withdrawals. She had to be flown off the ship to be hospitalized and finally sent to treatment. I dropped everything to be by her bedside in the hospital and be her biggest supporter during her month at treatment. My priorities, such as school and grades stopped being priorities. Her well being, her health, and her legal situations were now the priority. With her being underway so much with the navy after treatment to get ready for a deployment, her attending to her legal situation was becoming less and less of a possibility. So we rushed our marriage and eloped so that I could have power to attend to her needs for her. My gpa dropped dramatically. I went from a 3.75 the semester prior, to a 1.0 that semester. It was devastating. I felt hopeless inside, but my best friend and my partner needed me. She was there for me when I needed her, so it was my turn. Our relationship grew deeper. We now trust each other more than ever. I am strong enough to bounce back after one crummy semester, and I can hold my head up high knowing I made the right choice and did not leave my wife to dry. We overcame the nightmare that the year started off with together. I have now successfully transferred to the University of San Diego, and our future looks brighter than ever.

At a very young age, I felt as if I had very little to no control over my emotions and impulses. This lack of control led me to being powerless over alcohol and homeless after high school as a result. However, instead of letting my disease get the best of me, I chose to try and better myself through military service and education. My name is Jesus Rangel, and I am a recovering alcoholic. Immediately after high school, I fell into a depression and my drinking took off. I drank, or so I thought at the time, because I was dealing with the death of a parent before I fully understood what death was. The role of my mother was replaced by an abusive stepmother. This lack of stability resulted in my drinking becoming my priority because it was what I could control. I did not try to further my education at that time. By the time I was 24, I had no college experience, was living the couch circuit, barely had enough food to sustain myself, and drinking alcohol was still my only priority. With no where to go and with my back against the wall, I joined the Navy to gain some form of stability and medical help. Within months of me arriving to my first duty station, the USS Nimitz, I asked my chain of command for help with my alcoholism. I was sent to treatment at Naval Hospital Bremerton and continued my aftercare with meetings on the ship. I also became open to seeking mental help and started taking anti depressants on top of speaking with a therapist. Sadly, recovery is not without it’s relapses. After one of my closest friends fell over the side of the ship and died in 2019, I lost control and relapsed. I picked up immediately where I left off, and within a month I was checked into the hospital/ detox ward for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. Isolation and social distancing during 2020 has not been much of a help either. My alcohol and depression has made it hard for me to focus on my studies when I am stressed from school and work and bills. However, my wife has been incredibly supportive of me and has stood by my side. I am now 14 months sober and look forward to where life takes me. Scholarships would make my studies much more manageable with me no longer having to balance working and studying. I am majoring in electrical engineering since I was an aviation electriciansmate in the Navy. My dream would be to continue my work in the field of avionics as an electrical engineer. On top of majoring in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, I still am a reservist attached to HSC-85 located in Coronado. My journey throughout my recovery has taught me that you don’t have to attack it alone. Those who care and those who understand what you are going through will be by your side. That is why I try to give back as much as I can by being a sponsor at AA meetings and want to get involved with programs on campus dedicated to reducing alcohol related issues. I was part of a club on my ship called CSADD, or the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions. We would have events to encourage junior sailors to be proactive and provide alternatives to drinking in the barracks. We also picked up fellow sailors at local bars to reduce DUI’s. These are the reasons that I do not let my disease win.